Dr Alexandra Bonthrone (PhD)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh
Contact details
- Email: alexandra.bonthrone@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Centre for Reproductive Health
Institute for Regeneration and Repair
University of Edinburgh
4-5 Little France Drive
Edinburgh BioQuarter - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH16 4UU
Background
Dr Bonthrone is a postdoctoral research fellow in Prof James Boardman's group at the University of Edinburgh. She was awarded a PhD in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience from UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health in 2018. From 2018-2026 she was a research associate in Prof Serena Counsell's group at the Centre for the Developing Brain at King's College London.
Responsibilities & affiliations
Editorial Board Member at BMC Pediatrics 2025-present
Member of the European Association Brain in Congenital Heart Disease 2018-present
Current PhD students supervised
Co-promoter: Mirthe E.M. Van Der Meijden, PhD Student at Utrecht University
Research summary
Dr Bonthrone is dedicated to investigating the relationship between brain development from infancy to childhood and the development of cognitive, behavioural and motor skills in children who are more likely to experience adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. She is also interested in the dynamic influences of clinical and environmental risk and resilience factors on these processes across early life.
Her previous publications can be found here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OAA8dMEAAAAJ&hl=en
Past project grants
British Heart Foundation. Bonthrone AF (PI), Malik S, Counsell SJ, Hajnal JV, Pushparajah KP, Arichi T. Project grant. "Ultra-high field characterisation of altered functional and metabolic brain development in neonates with congenital heart disease”. 11/2024-03/2026. £141,568.34
Harold Hym Wingate Foundation. Travel grant for research visit to Prof Boardman’s Group at University of Edinburgh. 01/2023. £990.
KCL Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Studentship. Osei Ntiamoah R (student), Bonthrone AF (supervisor). "Interhemispheric connectivity of the supplementary motor area in infants with Congenital Heart Disease". Summer 2021.
UCL Changemakers. Bonthrone AF, Sakki H (joint PIs) "Signposting resource for UCL students with ADHD" 11/2016. £350
Child Health Research Charitable Incorporated Organisation. UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Studentship. 07/2014-07/2017. Approximately £71,135.
Invited speaker
Cognitively stimulating home environment and outcome following congenital heart disease. 10/25. 6th Joint European Neonatal Societies Congress, Belgrade, Serbia.
Advanced neuroimaging to understand neurodevelopment in congenital heart disease. 09/25. 13th Annual Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative Scientific Sessions. Colorado, USA.
Towards an individualised understanding of brain development in babies with Congenital Heart Disease. 07/25 Centre for the Developing Brain seminar series. London, UK
Towards an individualised understanding of brain development in babies with Congenital Heart Disease. 06/25 Human Developmental Biology Initiative conference. Cambridge, UK
Towards an individualised understanding of brain development in babies with Congenital Heart Disease. 12/24 UK cardiac psychology special interest group. Virtual.
Towards an individualised understanding of brain development in babies with Congenital Heart Disease. 11/24 St Thomas’ Hospital neonatal unit educational seminar series. London, UK
Towards an individualised understanding of brain development in babies with Congenital Heart Disease. 01/24 Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry Section, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Harmonizing multisite neonatal diffusion-weighted brain MRI data. 09/23. University of British Columbia and SickKids Toronto neonatal neurology research groups. Virtual.
Brain imaging correlates of Developmental Coordination Disorder and associated impairments. 12/17. UCLGOS Institute of Child Health Developmental Neurosciences Seminar Series. London, UK
Brain imaging in Developmental Coordination Disorder. 05/15. Northwest London paediatric neurodisability meeting, London, UK